The present invention relates in general in bearing units and in particular to a new and useful bearing unit which includes a mechanism for protecting sensitive low friction bearings, particularly those adapted for use in space vehicles and the like.
Particularly in space vehicles, such as satellites, bearings are employed which are required to be highly sensitive, namely to have a small friction torque. This, however, makes them relatively very vulnerable to damage by oscillations and impacts such as occurring during the launch or landing phase of vehicles of this kind.